Steps
by angstyteenagetrash
Summary: Kate Rogers was one year behind Steve, and two years behind Bucky Barnes. But when the boys enlist, she was already a part of the SSR. When Steve was injected, she had tried it first. She was always two steps ahead. Bucky/oc future romanogers


**Name: Katelyn Ann Rogers**

 **Rank: Sargent**

 **Alias: Kate, Miss America**

 **Specialty: Sniping, sabotage, Special Ops**

 **Appearance: medium length dark blonde hair, greenish blue eyes, fair skinned, freckles. Slightly above average height, slim figure.**

 **Known associates: Steven G. Rogers, James "Bucky" Buchanan Barnes, Corporal Timothy "Dum Dum" Dugan, Private Gabriel Jones, Jaques Dernier, "Happy" Sam Sawyer, Margaret "Peggy" Carter**

* * *

Bucky is the only one who calls her Katie. She is always called Katelyn, but the dark haired, blue eyed boy Steve brings home calls her Katie without a second thought. So she calls him Jimmy. They tease and antagonize, both maybe a little jealous of the time Steve spends with the other. They have to learn deal with each other, though, on days when Steve is sick. Bucky never seems to get sick, and Katelyn is determined not to be outdone by Bucky, even if she never gets sick anyways.

* * *

Several years pass.

At thirteen, Katelyn becomes Kate, mostly because Bucky stops calling her Katie, and refuses to call her Katelyn. He says it is too long, and that was what nicknames are for. So she stops calling him Jimmy and calls him Buck. Steve grows, but Kate and Bucky still tower over him.

They become a "troublesome trio," but they are happy. Bucky is growing into a handsome man, and girls at school bat their eyelashes and flirt. Buck flirts right back, but that's all it is. They always go together, the three of them, until boys stop picking on Steve, and many girls stop flirting with Buck, because there will always be the dark blonde trailing a long on Bucky's other arm, and the stick of a boy just a step away.

It is always the three of them, until one night, for Kate's sixteenth birthday, Steve catches influenza and can't go dancing, so Bucky and Kate go alone. Ma is skeptical of Bucky's intentions for once, but Kate convinces her that it's fine. She meets Bucky at the door in her new dress, with bright red lips and her curls falling over her shoulders.

Bucky though she never looked so beautiful and his heart betrayed him when he said she was just his best friend's sister.

That night, they dance and laugh and talk, and somehow, when he drops her off, a veil seems to have lifted and they look a each other with new eyes. And that night, they find themselves kissing, in the dark, under the stars.

* * *

Ma catches tuberculosis.

The docs say she should be fine. They're wrong.

Kate doesn't go out with Bucky anymore. Steve gets into more fights. But no matter what, Bucky was never far away from either of them. He is just outside of Ma's room, when Kate sits by her. He is just around the corner, when Steve starts a fight. He is a shoulder to cry on, an arm to lean on. He is the one who wraps his arms around them both, the one who brings home some groceries bought with his money, the one who discreetly pays the rent.

The docs say she won't make the night.

They're right.

* * *

Another war starts. Steve becomes restless. Kate gets another job, and Bucky still helps with the rent. They argue. Steve and Kate, Kate and Bucky, Bucky and Steve.

Then one night, after an arguement, when Bucky storms toward the door, and Kate lashes out, saying that if he really cared, he wouldn't leave them to fight, saying something, anything to keep him from actually leaving, and he stops, his hand hovering above the knob. He turns, slowly, and Kate is terrified of the look in his eyes. He stalks toward her, and before she can say a word, his lips are on hers. He feels the heat of her flushed cheeks in his hands, her lips hot and desperate against his own, her hands fisted in his shirt, his hair. And when oxygen becomes a necessity, he drops his lips to her jaw, neck, collarbone, and whisper hoarsely that _that_ is why he has to leave.

"I lo-"

Steve tries to sneak in the door behind them, not really noticing their tight embrace.

* * *

The next day, Kate is approached by a dark haired British woman who claims she wants speak to Kate. Privately.

She wants Kate to join the Strategic Scientific Reserve. Kate almost declines. Then she is shown the paycheck. She wants to tell the boys, but then she learns that she isn't allowed to. She hates keeping secrets. She's in a bad mood when she gets home, so when she learns that Steve tried to enlist as Steve from New Hampshire shes not happy. She's in the middle of chewing him out when Bucky arrives from the docks.

He chews him out, too.

Then after dinner, Bucky shows them his acceptance slip. He leaves in three weeks.

Steve leaves the room.

Kate doesn't look at him.

"Kate-"

She cuts him off with a kiss, as desperate as last night's. He pushes her against the wall, his hands on her waist, fingers splayed to keep her balanced. He tells her he wishes he didn't have to, but he has to keep them safe.

"Bucky-"

She wants to tell him about SSR, but he kisses her agains.

* * *

A few days later, Kate finds the perfect opportunity to tell the boys. It was after dinner, on a day where they hadn't fought. So she slowly broached the topic of helping with the war effort. They both blanche, as if she couldn't handle herself. She almost blurts out that she works for SSR, but then Steve has a coughing fit and she forgets.

The next week, the day before Bucky leaves, Bucky tells him that they are going to a Stark Expo. He also says he found Steve a date. When Steve sighs dramatically and turns away, Bucky turns to Kate and gives her his brightest smile yet, saying softly that she's goin' as _his_ date. Kate smiles back just as brightly.

The date was a dark haired girl named Clara, who ended up hanging off Bucky's other arm, even though Kate was technically his. Steve trailed behind them awkwardly. They walk around and watch as Mr. Stark demonstrates a flying car. It doesn't work. When Bucky and Kate turn to talk to Steve, he's gone. Not there. Absent, MIA. Kate points to a sign for enlisting and takes off, before Bucky can follow. He brushes Clara off and runs after her. Steve is gazing longingly athe the enlistment station. Kate comes up behind him and tells him that he can't do this! He can't lie! He can't say he's Steve from Ohio! Bucky catches up and agrees. Before they could completely convince him to come away, Clara calls out,

"Hey, Sarge, are we going dancing?"

Bucky tells her they are.

"Don't do anything stupid till I get back."

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you."

* * *

The next morning is hard. Breakfast is early and near silent. Steve hugs Bucky and tells him not to win the war till he gets there. Then he stands back.

Kate isn't sure what she's going to say or do or what he's going to do but she certainly wasn't expecting him to kiss her full on the mouth in front of everyone at the train station. Some older women shook their heads disapprovingly at them, and Steve had turned away. She clings to him, arms around his neck, his tight around her waist. She doesn't want to tell him goodbye. Neither does he. So all she says is

"I'll see you later, Bucky."

He gives a wavering smile and kisses her again as the conductor calls, All Aboard!

She sees him later, but not how she'd expect.

* * *

When they get home, Steve tells her that he's been accepted into the army. Kate was shocked and furious. Her boys were leaving her. It was bad enough when Bucky left,and Steve wouldn't shut up about joining, but now he's actually gotten in and is being shipped off to New Jersey in a week. Her boys were abandoning her, leaving her just like all the other dames in New York, in the United States! She demands to speak with Peggy Carter the next day, but Peggy Carter wanted to talk to her first.

Peggy wants Kate to go to New Jersey as well, but first, she has to test a serum. Peggy tells her that they plan on giving the serum to several other women, and her brother. They want to make a female task force!

Kate agrees.

* * *

Ater Kate says goodbye to Steve, she is Peggy takes her to a secret SSR base. She has her put on a pair of cotton bloomers and a white, rather tight, sleeveless shirt. Then she is led into the room. The only people there was the scientist who invented the serum, a few nurses, Peggy Carter, and Howard Stark. Howard Stark! He asks her if she's "stark" struck. She stares at him in unbelief, before Peggy shoes him away, and helps her into the machine.

They start it up and it hurts, hurts so much they almost shut it down. Kate tells them not to.

In a few minutes, or maybe years, it is all over and the machine opens and she almost falls out. Peggy is there to help her up and Howard Stark too. With a shake of her head, the disorientation disapates and she can inspect her body. The muscles in her arms, legs, and mid riff are defined, but not to much. She feels taller, but not by much. She felt like she could see perfectly now, even though her vision had been near perfect before. It was... disorienting.

* * *

They send her to the same training camp that Steve is at, and he is shocked to see her. She tells him all about what she'd been doing and why she couldn't, or rather didn't, tell him. He forgives her, but still isn't warmed up to the idea of his little sister fighting along side him. He accepts it though, because she isn't going to not go. So they train together and learn that Kate is particularly good at Sniping and stealth. And later, they learn she's great at sabotage.

* * *

The same thing happens to Steve. He is bulked up and healthy. Kate is overjoyed. Then Dr. Erskine is shot, and the last vial of serum is stolen, and Steve runs after his killer. Peggy tells Kate that they can't form her task force, because Dr. Erskine had to make more, but she can still fight. Kate wants to know if Steve will be fighting. Peggy doesn't know. Kate says she'll only fight if Steve can.

Steve doesn't fight.

* * *

They're in Azzano. The soldiers are worn out, bored. Many try to get Kate to get with them. It doesn't ever work.

Then Kate and Steve hears something about the 107th.

Bucky's divison!

They both run to talk to Colonel Phillips, and ask him about Bucky.

"B-a-r-"

Colonel Phillips cuts them off. He knows how to spell. And Bucky? MIA.

Kate nearly breaks down in tears right then and there, but Peggy takes her to her tent. Later, Steve comes by and tells her that is going to find Bucky. Kate is in her suit, navy blue, with a red star on each shoulder, white boots, and bright red lips before Steve can ask her if she wants to come.

Stark flies them over, and Peggy comes too. Kate and Steve have to jump before they reach the target. They break into the facility, and really, though, you'd think it'd be harder. Steve releases the prisoners, while Kate searches for Bucky. She finds him, moments before Steve, strapped to a table, pale and ashen. She unstraps him while he says her names and gives a small smile.

"Kate? Steve?"

He sits up and she nearly knocks him down with the force of her hug. He wraps one arm around her shoulders and one around Steve's. Once Bucky is more stable, Steve leads the way, while Kate supports Bucky. He gives her a curious look when she knocks a guy out with one well aimed punch.

They get out, but only after a confrontation but the leader of HYDRA, and the scientist who experimented on Bucky, Dr. Zola. If looks could kill, that man would be writhing in agony. Bucky crosses the catwalk first, then Kate, and then it falls and Steve has to jump.

They all make it out alive, though injured, and then they have to walk back to the camp.

* * *

Bucky demands they explain just what the hell was going on. Kate laughs and Steve chuckles and Bucky just scowls at then.

Then, she explains that she had worked with the SSR just about since America joined the war. She told him about the female task force and how it failed and about Steve and the dead doctor.

Later that night, Bucky explores and maps out her new body to his heart's content.

* * *

They form the Howling Commandos, with Captain Rogers, and Sargents Barnes and Rogers and everyone else. Kate works with Bucky as a sniper, working form above and saving Steve's ass more times then they can count. They take Europe by storm. Steve and Kate and Bucky are inseparable and everyone knows. And everyone knows how Kate and Bucky feel for each other. The only thing Steve told Bucky was to make sure he didn't hurt her, even accidentally. Everyone but Steve knows what Peggy feels. He is almost totally oblivious, and it almosts hurt.

But then they're in the bar in London, and everyone quiets when Peggy walks in. Kate was close to the point of kicking Steve in the shins to make him realize she wanted to dance with him. By the time she's made up her mind to kick him, Peggy walks off. Steve stares after her. Kate rolls her eyes and kicks him in he shin.

"What was that for?"

"Go talk to her."

Steve does.

* * *

They're in the Alps. Freezing temperatures and a biting wind was a combination Kate never wanted to experience again. Thankfully, her navy blue suit was well insulated. Her face wasn't.

Bucky, Steve, and Kate exchange banter.

"Remember that time Bucky made you ride the Cyclone on Coney Island?"

"Yeah, and I threw up?"

"This isn't payback, is it?"

"Now why would I do that?"

With a reckless grin tossed over her shoulder, Kate grabs the zip line and swings out over the dizzying drop after her brother. Bucky is right behind her. Their timing was perfect. They drop onto the roof of Zola's train and walk forward slowly and little more than a crouch. They climb through into the train, but Steve and Kate and Bucky are all separated when Steve goes ahead, Bucky stays just behind and Kate, a car behind. The door slams shut and Kate whirls around, seeing Bucky similarly trapped. He is fighting a HYDRA goon with one of the guns that shoots blue lasers. She doesn't have time to worry about him, though, she has her own problems. Two HYDRA men, with machine guns, are at the opposite end of the car. Kate ducks behind a shelf in the middle of the car as the men start firing. In a lull, Kate wheels around and fires in quick succession, _blrrpp!_ than at the other _blrrpp!_ All she has to do now was just open the door to get to Bucky. She picks up a fire hydrant and slams it down on the latch. The door springs open. With a bit more difficulty, she opens the next door, where Bucky is still fighting. She leaps through the opening, distracting the man, so Bucky can catch a break. In the said break, Steve opens the door and tosses Bucky his gun. They get rid of the man in quick work.

But then the man Steve had fought got back up, firing at Steve, knocking the shield out of his hands and him down, blowing a whole in the side of the train. Bucky snatches up his shield, and throws it at the man, it dents him and ricochets to Kate who blocks the next laser blast, but it knocks her out of the the gaping whole. Bucky dashes to the edge, almost hanging out of the train. She stretches to reach him. The bar she's hanging off of begins to break off.

"I love you!" She screams.

Steve pushes him back and tries to reach her. He can't. Kate's finger slip and she falls, as Bucky slides to the edge of the train on his stomach, screaming,

"I love you! No! KATE!"

* * *

They capture Zola, but it is not satisfying. Steve has to hold Bucky back from being him from beating him to bloody plup.

"IT'S YOUR FAULT SHE'S DEAD! SHE COULD STILL BE ALIVE YOU SON OF A-"

* * *

Bucky sits by herself for once, in the middle of the mostly empty bar, with the strongest liquor they had, his eyes puffy and empty. He can't take it. Kate is gone. He never says, thinks, _dead_ because that would make it real. Maybe, if he hopes really, _really_ hard she'll come walking through the door with a grin on her face and he'll sweep her up into a kiss.

But she doesn't.

Bucky can't even cry.

* * *

Steve is talking to Peggy and Bucky tries not to listen. Steve had kissed Peggy, right on her red lips before they climbed onto Schmidt's plane. Bucky had strapped herself into the copilot's chair, while they pushed the plane down. Bucky doesn't listen as Steve and Peggy talk quietly, loveingly, reminding him painfully of himself and his Kate. He tries not to grudge him his happiness, but there's not going to be much happiness in a few minutes.

The water and ice are closing in. Steve glances at Bucky and grabs his shoulder

"I'm so-"

They crash into the water before he can say anything else.

* * *

Cold over takes them, and Bucky feels sluggish.

 _At least I'll see Kate._


End file.
